Winter
by Crimson1
Summary: Len convinces Barry to help him steal a wolf from the zoo.


This was an accident. It was just going to be a silly, simple headcanon for a friend's birthday, and then...fic happened, and I actually really like it.

* * *

If Len was completely honest, he was more of a cat person. He'd never had a cat, but he could appreciate how sleek they were, how silent, stealthy, and self-reliant. They were easier to care for than dogs, more independent. But that didn't mean Len didn't like dogs. He'd just only ever truly loved one, and the loss of her hurt.

She was a mut. A beautiful mut, but some unknown mixed breed that had to have had a bit of wolf in her, because she looked more like a wolf than any normal breed Len had ever seen. The comparison had often made other people nervous upon first meeting her when Len was a child, but she was the gentlest creature, if a little protective of him like a mother with her pup.

She was almost entirely white with freckles of brown and black spots around her muzzle. His mother had brought the dog home as a puppy when Len was very small, and named her Winter because of the white coat. Len didn't have many memories of her as a younger dog, always remembering the larger grown version—his personal wolf.

But Lewis didn't have patience for anything that took effort, especially once Len's mother was replaced with another woman, and a new baby came into the house. One day Len's beautiful wolf was gone and Lisa came home instead. Len never resented her for that. He loved his sister. He knew who to really resent. Even Lisa's mother wasn't the type to fuss over the dog. No, it had all been Lewis looking for an excuse to rid the house of anything that reminded him of his first wife, just like he tried to do so often with Len.

But Len remembered her. Thought of her when his thoughts drifted. Wondered what had become of his dog, and tried to imagine she had simply been driven out of town and left on some farm than the logical actual conclusion.

These days he only thought of her when he thought of Lewis, a natural replacement for thinking about his father, because there were happy memories with Winter, and very few with Lewis Snart. On those days Len's feet often carried him to Central City Zoo.

One day, passing by the wolf area, he noticed a brand new snow white puppy. It was kismet, especially since the zookeepers had named her Winter.

Len visited the zoo more often after that, watching the young wolf grow. She seemed tamer than the others, born in captivity, used to people looking in on her, children tapping on the glass. Len preferred to watch from above where he could see her more clearly and speak without glass to muffle his words, even if she was far down in the enclosure. He only spoke to her if it was an off time during the day and no one else was around, but she always seemed to pace beneath him as if listening, as if understanding.

Then one day Len saw the sign—'Wish Winter farewell for her trip to Star City.' Central City Zoo couldn't afford to care for all of the wolves anymore, and had to pass on their youngest to another location.

It wasn't that Len couldn't make the trip to Starling, but it seemed wrong. This was his city. This was Winter's city too. They'd both been born here. And Starling was hardly fit for anyone to live in these days.

Snarl on his lips, that's when Len had looked over to the other side of the railing and noticed Barry Allen staring at him.

* * *

Snart was going to steal a wolf. Barry could see it. He looked over and just knew.

He hadn't planned to stop by the zoo after work, he'd just needed someplace benign to walk around and think, and no one he knew would find him there—or so he thought. Barry liked the wolves, the power of them, their beautiful coats, especially the white wolf who he'd seen there once as an adorable wolf pup.

She was the one Snart had his eyes on, and Barry knew that look. Snart was going to steal her. He had to be out of his mind, because this wasn't anything he could sell or benefit from, so why did he want her? What would he do with her? She was a wild animal that could tear him apart if she got loose.

Barry readied himself to race after Snart, follow him at least if he dashed away. But the man surprised Barry by heading right for him, around the edge of the railing that looked down over the wolf enclosure.

"You familiar with the conditions of Star City Zoo?" Snart asked in greeting. He gestured to the sign—'Wish Winter farewell for her trip to Star City.'

Barry was familiar with it actually, though he hadn't been there in years. It wasn't the best zoo around, and they didn't currently have any wolves.

Snart moved a step closer to Barry. No one else was around, just a few families finishing up before heading home for dinner, ushering kids quickly past the animals. He kept his voice hushed anyway. Grinned at Barry. Though there was something more than mischief in his eyes.

"Want to help a bad man do a good deed?"

"Snart…"

"Keystone Nature Preserve is close, outside city limits, no natural predators for a wolf like her to find trouble with. She'll adjust. We all do." He smirked wider. But that look in his eyes…

"Why the interest?"

Snart hesitated. "Nostalgia," he shrugged, not elaborating, "but I'm not stupid. She's no tame puppy. Might not appreciate the help. But with a speedster on my side…"

"Snart, I'm not—"

"What? On my side? Or willing to help? Because you've often left the impression that you're both, kid. Wouldn't want me to get all disillusioned thinking you don't really believe in my good nature, now, would you?"

Barry frowned. But that look, the glimmer of something desperate and hopeful in Snart's navy eyes, made him falter. He looked again at the sign. At the wolf—Winter. He almost laughed. Naturally Snart would attach himself to this wolf.

"You have a plan?" Barry asked.

A fraction of the tension Barry hadn't noticed Snart holding in his shoulders ebbed away. "Meet me here at midnight. Parking lot. I assume you can get us in from there."

* * *

Len nodded appreciatively at Barry donning his 'criminal' gear—the dark outfit he'd worn playing tech delinquent when trying to 'save' Len from his father. As if he didn't look like a boy scout playing hookie. Len didn't have his cold gun. He wore black as well, and his leather jacket, looking much the part he had the night Len's father died too. Seemed fitting.

"How exactly am I supposed to flash you and a wolf out to Keystone Nature Preserve?"

"Not to worry, Barry. Does this look like my motorcycle?" Len patted the side of the van he'd driven there, with a cage between the back and front seats to protect them, like a police vehicle, and plenty of space in the back for Winter during the drive. "I just need you to help get her in here. I'll do the rest."

"I'm not ditching once we have her. I'm coming with you to Keystone."

"Fair enough," Len inclined his head. Getting mauled by her once he released her from the back into the wild wasn't a pleasant thought after all. Barry's speed could help with that. "Let's go."

"Where do you need me to take us?"

Len produced a map of the grounds. Pointed out the access point into the zookeeper area, where the animals would have been brought in for the night.

Barry nodded. "Got it."

And just like that, they were there. Len picked the lock into the restricted area. Moved through confidently. Found the wolves. There was an inner area of the enclosure separate from the section they had looked down over earlier, still large enough for the various wolves to wander a bit, including Winter. All of them were snuggled together, sleeping, when Barry and Len walked up. Winter stirred when she saw Len.

Len had no delusions about past lives, especially with animals. This wasn't his Winter. She might not sense anything from him, other than familiarity that Len visited so often. Didn't matter. He was getting her out of here. No one deserved to rot in Starling.

"I open the door. You get her to the van before she realizes what's happening. I close it again. You come back for me. We leave. Simple?"

Barry nodded. "Simple."

He bounced from foot to foot, rubbing his hands together as he prepared to steal a wolf from Central City Zoo with Captain Cold. Len almost wished he had an ulterior motive with all this, but he was grateful for Barry's help. Couldn't tell him. Could never tell him—thank you, Barry—so he passed as neutral an expression to the kid as he could, no guile involved, and received a sunny smile in response.

Damn, this kid.

"Okay," Len said, and unlocked the door to the inner enclosure.

It was over in under a minute. Len had to catch his breath as he sat in the driver's seat of the van with Barry Allen—The Flash—beside him, having committed a crime with him, for real this time, while a wolf paced confusedly in the back behind them.

"You'll thank me when we get there, girl," Len said as he shifted into DRIVE.

"Or try to eat us," Barry joked.

"I'm hoping you can help prevent that, remember?"

"Thanks, by the way."

Len frowned at the kid. He was the one who should say thanks, even though he wouldn't. "For what? Finally making a real criminal out of you in that getup?"

"No, I—wait. What getup? What's wrong with this outfit?"

Len resisted the urge to laugh. "Barry…"

"Anyway, I just mean…thanks for asking. For my help. Instead of trying to do this on your own. You could have been all…you about this when you saw me at the zoo, but you came to me instead. You can always do that, you know? I mean, not for stealing things—usually—this is a rare instance, okay? But bad guy; good deed. I'm down for that. You're not really a bad guy though. Not as bad as you think you are."

Len didn't believe that. He'd probably never believe that. But it meant something that Barry did. He fluttered his fingers over the steering wheel before curling them more tightly around it. "Wouldn't do much for my reputation if I was taken out by a wolf."

Barry laughed. "Guess not. But still. Thanks."

"Sure, kid."

They didn't talk much at first on the ride to Keystone. Barry talked mostly, any time the silence stretched too long, as if it affronted his very being to be left in quiet stillness.

Barry loved dogs. Loved wolves. And loved to drone on about it apparently, which Len should have found annoying, but found endearing instead.

So eventually, after Barry had peppered him with enough questions that Len finally broke, just before they reached the area of the nature preserve where Len planned to drop off Winter, he told Barry about the first Winter—his Winter.

"If you show up at your next heist with a Samoyed puppy for a sidekick, I swear," Barry snickered when Len trailed off after explaining that he never knew what had happened to Winter after Lisa came home from the hospital.

Len loosened the knuckle-white grip he'd had on the steering wheel. "I'm more of a cat person."

"Okay, fluffy white kitten hiding in your hood then."

"Barry…"

The kid laughed so beautifully, Len couldn't help but smile. "Oh my god, don't do that, but so, please do that. Keep a kitten in your hood, or your pocket, and you'd pretty much remove any ability I have to stop you. I'd die laughing. And then probably want to pet it…"

Was this kid for real? "Giving me tips on how to beat you now?"

"Only if kittens or puppies are involved."

Len couldn't stop smiling, couldn't resist laughing. He realized he'd never spent much time with Barry. Not like this. Not without more serious conversation or actions taking precedence. And it made it too easy to forget himself. "Wouldn't risk animal cruelty, Barry."

"Just people cruelty," Barry said, though he didn't lose his smile.

"Now, now, thanks to you, I don't do that anymore either."

"True. So how about a Rogue safe house mascot to come home to?"

Lisa would enjoy that far too much. Len just shook his head at Barry. "We're here."

Barry's smile dropped, but the light didn't leave his eyes. "So…how do you want to—"

"I'm letting her out. If she tries to attack, I'd appreciate you intervening."

"…right. Okay."

Len got out of the van, moved for the back, Barry flanking him on the other side, and opened the door. Winter darted out, but immediately turned back, looking at them both and the van, tense and growling.

"Miss the others, girl? Too bad. You would have been taken from them anyway," Len said. "Go off and make new friends. You'll have more fun here, I promise you that. No one's at their best in captivity."

"Speaking from experience, Snart?"

Len tilted his head, neither a rebuttal nor admittance.

Winter stopped growling. Len waited for her to pounce, almost expected it, but instead she tilted her head at him—almost mirroring how he had tilted his head at Barry. She sniffed the ground at her feet, looked at them, at Len, one more time, then took off into the trees, her white coat shimmering in the moonlight.

Len felt freer just watching her run. "Come on, kid, let's get back to Central. Unless you plan on taking off from here?" Len climbed into the van without waiting for an answer.

Barry climbed in after him. "I'm up for the drive," he grinned as he closed his door. "You owe me though."

"Oh really?"

"Not for this. For that lunch bill at Saints and Sinners. I'm starved."

Len stared at Barry as he drove back onto the road. "You want dinner?"

"I eat a lot, just to warn you."

Len found he couldn't say no to that cheeky smile, didn't want to. "Better be a fan of Big Belly Burger."

Barry laughed. "Knew you had good taste, Snart."

"Now to work on yours," Len said, gesturing out with his right hand to lightly smack Barry's chest. "You look good in red leather, kid. The rest could use assistance."

"Whatever, I totally look the part of conniving criminal."

The dimples said otherwise. Len felt his own cheeks hurting from the force of his smile. He settled both hands on the steering wheel again, relaxed and tapping out a rhythm. "Sure you do, kid. Sure you do."

* * *

THE END


End file.
